They marched for five days, Nero and the foot soldiers at least. He had to physically walk if he wanted to shift the portal connection to the real world. The battalions marching with prince Tyre were all-male. The female recruits were under different leadership and marched under the flag of Count Honeywitch in a separate path.
Nero thought Tyre would take a carriage or something like that but he led from the front, marching with his soldiers. Nero marched during the day and read his books during the night in a tent three rows away from the prince. From what he gathered, it was a good spot but not an honor one. It was close to the gatehouse should he need to reactivate the portal or change the password. Nero would go crazy if he had to create a portal anytime someone wanted to go back and forth. The system the army found was easy.
There were only five people that knew the password. Prince Tyre, Sir Mayleefa the buffalo-kin, himself, and two knights from Tyre's personal guard. One of them was outside at the portal entry point, the other inside the shelter by the gatehouse. In case someone needed to enter or leave, the knight used a necklace that prevented sound from leaving the vicinity of their head. The spell worked either way. Each portal cost twenty-five hundred Essence to make and would last for a day but they felt the need to change the password at least three times a day. Since Nero told them it was the cost for the long-term keyed portal, the prince was paying for it.
At first, he tried but failed to find reasons to hate the leonal prince, much the other way around. He settled on the dissonance he felt. He seemed to treat his subordinates and soldiers well, and no discourtesy even toward Nero. Among men, he seemed the epitome of a gentleman and a good leader. While he knew Crystal didn't lie about her abduction, suffering, and imprisonment at his hands, the way he treated her like a plaything compared to what he saw was jarring. That dissonance between what he saw and what he heard from his sister lasted very little. On the second day on the march, they met with a caravan of carriages coming in from an outside road. The carriages were escorted by some of the prince's personal knights.
Nero only saw the carriages because he was called to go meet them. The vehicles were out of sight, hidden in a copse of trees from the marching army. There he was asked to open a portal to the shelter. He had no idea who was inside or why that meeting was conducted sub rosa until he saw who they carried. It was instantly obvious why Tyre made them meet him outside the city. Beautiful women, harlots from almost every race climbed down from the vehicles and quickly entered the shelter. They talked and teased everyone around them, relishing on the reactions they caused on the men around them.
Standing beside the portal, Nero noticed none of them had an Arbitrium. He too was assaulted by the women's verbal teasing, the scent of floral perfumes, their elegant attires that still overexposed their abundant feminine gifts, sits on their dresses that showed too much of their thighs, bosoms that threatened to jump out of their corsets, and even some light teasing from them as they passed since Nero's clothing and equipment clearly put him as someone not in the military. He felt burned by the lascivious glances thrown his way as the ladies walked past him and into the shelter. He even got briskly brushed by a tail or two as they passed.
Even three tents away he could hear the raucous partying and forced laughter from the women as they worked to please and entertain the prince. He overheard a soldier once complaining about how wine flowed in the prince's boudoir as water down the stream in the shelter. Nero thought how Tyre's had the lion's share of stamina - pun intended, it seemed. The moans of pleasure from the harlots were intentionally theatrical and loud and rang at any time of the day or night. The soldiers and knights knew and commented on how prince Tyre didn't share or brag. Besides the loud noise, that is.
The prince's debauchery caused two main effects on Nero. Altia's absence became even more hurtful and he started to enjoy walking outside the shelter with the army. The rhythmic cadence of marching feet was much better on the ears than... the laughter, moans, and playful screams coming from the prince's tent.
Amaryllis barely showed herself during this time, maybe because. The fairy opted to fly either high up in the sky or invisible. She did show herself at least once or twice a day when Nero was mostly alone resting or eating alone. It reassured him that she was keeping a watchful eye on the sky.
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Nero's nightly study was interrupted when someone knocked on the wooden plate outside his tent. All tents had one, so a visitor could warn or call the tent occupants if needed.
"Coming!" Nero shouted.
He walked out of his tent to find Sir Mayleefa. "Nero, come with me for a walk. I wish to have a chat with you."
The huge beast-kin seemed friendly. Nero was suspicious but still went with him. Mayleefa talked about camp positioning and tent arrangement. Finally, he broached the main subject.
"His Highness requested me to ask you if we couldn't expand this place. This way we could set more troops in here."
Nero didn't answer right away. He pretended to be thinking, then answered. "I would need to improve either my Willpower or Reason. The latter is preferable as it increases the size without changing the costs."
They couldn't know that the current shelter was less than a tenth of the size he could make. Or that he had another environment deep below. In fact, this shelter he had was already almost triple the size he could get if he used his raw Attributes.
"That could be arranged. Our quartermaster has a big supply of equipment and modifier cards. What increase can we expect per point?"
As if he didn't know that. The military has been seizing and farming cards for months. The number of new activations for the novice recruits was also astonishing.
Nero played with his Arbitrium while he did the math. "About a yard per point, give or take. I would also need everyone to vacate the shelter while I modify it. I would also need to delve to summon the equipment."
Mayleefa broke a branch from an acacia tree and whipped the grass around. "Can you clear a rank-III Dungeon?"
"Alone? Maybe. It depends on the grade and the compatibility between the Dungeon and me."
The buffalo-kin huffed and paused. "Would you mind if we assign a team to go with you? They would be under strict orders to safeguard you."
"No!" Nero strongly rejected the idea straight away. "No offense to your military discipline but I don't trust an unknown team. It is a matter of principle."
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"There is a rank-III Dungeon near our camp. It is being delved by teams of soldiers. It is green-grade. Timber Warg's Hunting Grounds, it is called. The monsters are plague wolves hunting in packs, diseased deer, rot bears, and finally the timber warg boss. The soldiers delving have more information about the monsters' powers and attacks. Last recorded boss kill was three years ago but it never flooded before."
That was so detailed it gave him goosebumps. That was not a spur-of-the-moment decision by the prince. This was something planned in advance. Maybe he could delve solo if the gear provided had good Attributes. He had the cards for a headgear upgrade he couldn't activate yet. And it depended on how sweet they would make the deal. So Nero gave his terms. It was time to milk the cash cow.
"I want to delve after dusk, alone. I'll only go inside once all the soldiers are out. I am positive I can find a [Egress] card If I go alone. I would upgrade an Accessory and the Cloak. I believe that gives you a great latitude to pick the item. And due to my special circumstance, no level requirement on any cards."
Nero knew the negotiations had ended when they walked back to the camp. Mayleefa spoke before they reached the tents, out of hearing range.
"I'll convey your terms to His Highness and bring back his answer. We should reach the main camp in two days."
"I'll be waiting."
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Two days later they reached the main army camp. Nero spent all of his free time inside his personal tent in the shelter reading and didn't even attempt to socialize with the military and the knights. Prince Tyre had a ton of meetings with nobles and other army officials but Nero was afraid it was mostly to showcase the shelter. He didn't showcase his collection of women, though. Nero didn't see or hear anyone entering the main tent and for once after these nobles arrived it was quiet.
He huddled in his tent with his books, re-reading the introductory Gadgeteering book without much attention to the words, hearing the prince's booming voice showing everything around the shelter. His hope was that the prince would hoard all credit to himself and not present him to the military but it was dashed as Mayleefa knocked outside.
"Nero, His Highness requests your presence," The buffalo-kin called.
With no choice, he stored all of his things and walked out of the tent. Nero was always ready to bolt anytime. He'd lose his pets if he crashed the shelter but he already had an escape plan. He had Serena's Dungeon day-skipping device and enough Essence. All he had to do was get inside any Dungeon whose monsters he could kill. Nobody they could send after him would be able to get him. His rifle fit in the dimensional pouch after he detached the bayonet. While the piece could not be entirely removed due to the conduits linking it to the main weapon, it could be moved to the side, reducing the length of the weapon.
"Yes, I'm ready," He answered.
"Follow me, please."
They walked to an area behind the small lake where a standing feast was being served. Waiters in black and white formal uniforms walked with glasses of wine while the military elite mingled and talked. There was no sign of tension or that hundreds, maybe thousands were about to die. The food enticed Nero. It looked classy, smelled good, and he was on army rations for a week. There was no time to enjoy the party, though. They reached the prince after Mayleefa had to "gently" push aside a few junior officers.
"Oh, there it is. The man with the black Skill, Nero Zero," Prince Tyre chortled as he introduced Nero as if he was a pet to the army's top brass.
Nero steeled himself and looked around, taking his time to meet the gaze of every officer. He found someone from the same race and fur pattern as Mrs. Hye-Sung. Count Honeywitch, probably. Their eyes met and the Count nodded slightly. Nero smiled briefly. It was obvious that the card shop owner talked to him about Nero.
"It is amazing your Skill created this environment. Is it stable?" An older wolf-kin officer asked.
"As long the steep upkeep is paid," Nero answered shortly, without giving out many details. Of course, a Skill's effect would have upkeep.
"I must say, your Highness," The wolf-kin continued. "The tactical implications of this Skill are immense. One could deploy an entire army behind enemy lines."
"Not happening, though," Nero quipped in a hushed tone.
"Oh?" He replied, annoyed, and angry. "And why not? Aren't you a citizen of Bast? Where is your warrior pride, boy? Don't you know--"
"Enough!" Prince Tyre shouted. "Viscount Lowell."
"Your Highness! I must protest.," Lowell continued in clear insubordination. "Think about it. We could win this war in a matter of days with minimal losses."
All Nero could hear was Bezzias' advice to not weaponize what shouldn't be weaponized. But the young man had already thought about that and he knew exactly what he'd do if they gave such orders.
"I am no coward, Viscount," Nero retorted, projecting his voice. "However, I am not a soldier. I am a member of the Adventurer's Guild, hired as a noncombatant specialist. I am going nowhere near the front lines. Not to mention His Highness jest in my introduction by adding my level cap to my name. Yes, my level cap is zero. What can a level zero person without a combat Class do to infiltrate behind enemy lines?"
"You!" Lowell growled and his body tensed up.
"Enough!" Tyre shouted over the commotion that was forming. "Viscount Lowell, you are dismissed. Leave, now. That's an order."
Nero would rather face a squad of knights or these noble assholes any day of the week instead of a sulking or angry Altia, or the harlots Tyre brought into the shelter. Lowell's tension deflated but he didn't move his sight away from Nero.
"But Your Highness. If we used a knight escort..." He still tried.
"Leave," Tyre glared. "Nero, please."
He played along and bowed even though he was cringing inside. The prince was his employer though. He had to play the part. Nero waved a hand in some kind of arcane flourish bullshit and hummed some stupid nursery song. Then he opened a portal to the outside. The knights guarding the exit only suspected it wasn't the main portal because they couldn't see the gatehouse.
"This way, Viscount," Nero pointed at the portal.
"It does not end here," Lowell threatened in a hushed voice as he passed and brushed past Nero and through the portal. It closed immediately after him.
"The Viscount is scary, isn't he, Nero Zero?" Tyre chortled.
The other nobles around also laughed, hinting that the amount of alcohol they already ingested was no small amount and that the Viscount's social capital was at an all-time low. Nero felt comfortable enough to deliver one last quip.
"I've stood next to the Dean when he was angry and breathing fire and the Guild Master when one of her pranks failed, Your Highness. I'm afraid all I could hear were barks."
The message he conveyed to the other officers was clear. Nero had connections with both the Guild and the Lyceum's leadership and wasn't afraid to flaunt it.
Tyre's chortle shifted into bouts of raucous guffawing. "Aye. Mr. Xalazuniox is a scary man," The prince agreed
"But young Nero," Count Honeywitch asked. "How did you obtain such a marvelous Skill?"
"With hard work, support from the Lyceum, and by the skin of my teeth, Count," Nero misdirected. "All I can tell you is that black cards require some astonishing feat in the Dungeons to drop. We only see little of them because people don't talk about it and because delvers don't take risks or care about their builds as they should."
There was a third reason and that was the way countries kept control of powerful people by forcing them to serve in some kind of knight order and brainwashed them. While fifth or sixth-tier people were serving as decorations in some castle, the Dungeons festered. Nero mentioned the Lyceum again to drive in the point that he had Xalazuniox' backing."
"I see. So you are saying that Adventurers' aren't pulling their weight," Another nobleman from some avian race Nero didn't recognize said.
"That's not what I said at all," Nero retorted vehemently. "Adventurers are delving and dying inside Dungeons. What of those that aren't? There are many for whom this," Nero tapped his Arbitrium, "is mere decoration."
The nobleman smiled but it didn't quite extend past his twitching lips. "I stand corrected," He said almost clenching his beak.
"One thing can be said of this little minnid," Tyre said as he slapped Nero's back. It hurt. "What he lacks in a level cap, he has in spirit and guts. I know for a fact that during his honeymoon he and his wife delved a dozen Dungeon in half as many days. He came to my attention when he, with the oversight of the Lyceum, brought an orange-grade Dungeon all the way into gray-grade, averting a disaster."
It was a blatant attempt by Tyre to sway Nero to his camp. All of this theater was meant to drive one point through the nobles' thick skulls. Nero belonged to Tyre and the prince didn't share toys. The prince had no regard for Nero's opinion on the matter.